TOKYO, May 30 (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday that Malaysia will allow Australian rare earths producer Lynas Corp to keep operating a processing plant in the country.

“We think we’ll have to renew the license,” Mahathir told reporters at a press conference in Tokyo.

Lynas operates a $800 million plant in Malaysia that refines ore from a rare earths mine in Australia but the facility’s future was unclear as Mahathir’s government had halted the process for renewing its licence because of waste disposal concerns. (Reporting by Elaine Lies; writing by Aaron Sheldrick; editing by Christian Schmollinger)